A Day In The Life
by brevityofwit
Summary: WIP; A look through the years at lives of Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Neji and how their friendship develops and survives everything fate throws at them. Eventual ShikaNeji, NejiShika and probably others, too.
1. Chapter 1: Fated

Okay, I have now deleted this story TWICE. This site doesn't want me to save changes to this document. I hope it works this time. Again, sorry for your troubles.

Note 1: So this is going to be a multi-chapter fic. Hopefully. However, it's conception is a little…strange. I've listened to a lot of songs that gave me ideas for a story and I decided to incorporate them into a single fic. This is NOT a song-fic, however, each chapter is influenced by a song and more or less a central meaing that I got out of the song having listened to it. Also, each chapter is named after the song I focused on for that particular chapter.

Does it make sense? I hope so. And I hope you like it!

Note two: I really don't know how jutsus work so I may have taken some liberty with them. Just a note. I also don't know the names of jutsus, really, so I hope descriptions work. And that they're at least somewhat accurate. Thanks!

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

/actions/

**Chapter One** - Fated

Song influence – "Fated" (Original Mix) by Ayumi Hamasaki

* * *

/snap/

Shikamaru's eyes instantly opened. He didn't move an inch but his entire body was on alert. Having just woken up from a nice afternoon nap, it was amazing that Shikamaru was as alert as he was.

He had decided that taking an afternoon nap would be beneficial since he was still a growing ten-year-old. That was all very well, but now here he was, in the middle of Konoha forest, well away from the village walls and training grounds, and he could not move an inch lest he be seen by a suspected threat.

/snap/

A _noisy_ suspected threat.

"Hmph," Shikamaru quietly sighed and risked turning his head in an attempt to determine the source of the sound.

He could not see much other than the trunks of trees and the blades of tall grass that he was currently lying in. But… just because he couldn't see the enemy did not mean they weren't there.

He rolled his eyes at this thought, one that his father had drilled into his head a thousand times. Quite literally. Shikamaru scrunched his nose, remembering. Just one of the many life lessons Nara Shikaku taught his son.

Clearing his head, he closed his eyes in order to think of how to deal with this "enemy"

'Just think it through,' he thought, 'like dad said. First, know where the enemy is without reveal—'

/snap/

'—yourself…which is definitely not /my/ problem.' He risked lifting his head a little higher so he could see above the grass. Once he did this, he finally saw movement. A shadow among the branches, crawling toward the top of a tree a hundred feet away.

'There you are,' Shikamaru thought and smiled. Normally, he was not one to instigate…anything really, but the current situation called for something to be done. Shikamaru did not have the time to sit around and wait for this noisy ninja to finish their business and move on. He hadn't realized how late it actually was, and if he wasn't home soon, his mother was going to come out looking for him.

Hmm…there's a thought. He could just bide his time and let his mom take care of the enemy and he get could get off easily with the excuse that he couldn't move. Yeah…no. His mom would not fall for something like that.

'Gotta take matters into my own hands,' he thought.

Shikamaru quietly moved behind the tree that was shading him. From there, he assessed where the enemy was in the tree.

'What are you doing?' he thought as he caught a glimpse of a kunai pouch as the person traveled further up the tree. They were maybe thirty feet up when Shikamaru decided to make his move.

He crept toward the tree, keeping to the shadows where he was much more at home. Whoever was in that tree did not notice him at all. Ten feet away from the base of the tree, Shikamaru stopped still in the shadows.

He looked to the sky, specifically, to the branches near the top of the tree, forty-five feet up.

'Gotcha,' he thought and smiled.

Reaching behind him, he pulled out a kunai from his back pouch. He wasn't even a genin yet, he had another two years, but his father wasn't stupid. When living in a ninja village, it's better to be safe than sorry.

/snap/

Realizing the noisy nin was definitely NOT aware of Shikamaru, he took his aim.

And threw.

**

* * *

**

Finally. It had taken long enough but Neji had walked the lengthy distance from the Hyuuga compound to this unknown area in the middle of the forest. He had wanted to be alone, and now he was.

It had taken more time to climb the tree. He wasn't quite sure about climbing the tree, but then thought what the hell. Right now, he wasn't quite thinking about being practical, but instead about doing things for himself, even if for a short while.

Living in the compound with his uncle and two cousins so near had become stifling. He was eleven years old and one year away from becoming a genin. No one expected him to become much of anything. He didn't agree.

Neji knew that if he didn't do something soon, he would be letting his family walk all over him, something that he did not want and could not let happen.

So here he was. Using his strength and attempting to prove himself so he would no longer be held back. By anyone.

He took a moment, now that he was as close to the top of the tree as he was going to get, and looked out at the forest. He was completely alone just as he wanted it. People were troublesome, and he would rather be by himself.

With no one around, he no longer had to be constricted and so he took off the cloth that wrapped around his forehead, holding it loosely in his hand.

Neji closed his eyes and took in a breath, completely at ease for the first time in a long time.

Suddenly, the narrow branch he was standing on shook violently. Neji's eyes went wide in shock and he flailed his arms in an attempt to get his balance back as legs almost gave way. A million thoughts race through his head, as he was not expecting anything like this. Not today. Not now.

And then he fell.

* * *

Shikamaru smirked as he saw his kunai hit the branch the supposed enemy was standing on.

"That'll show him," he muttered under his breath. As he began to turn around and head for home he heard the snapping of branches.

When Shikamaru looked back, he saw a black and white figure falling from the branches.

He reacted instantaneously, his hands coming together and his fingers forming the seals that he hoped would stop the falling body.

Time seemed to slow for Shikamaru as his eyes widened and he watched the scene play out.

The shadow made by the falling body was getting bigger and bigger as the person came nearer to the ground.

His own shadow moved quickly across the ground to combine with the one on the ground and then it seemed as if the shadow ballooned and lifted off the ground. One foot. Two feet. Three feet.

It acted as a cushion to the falling body once the person hit the shadow but it did not slow the accelerating body as much as Shikamaru would have liked. As soon as the body hit the shadowy mass, it the began to collapse and the person, who would have hit the ground either way, hit it with a softer (and Shikamaru was hoping "not deadly") thud.

All of this happened in less than three seconds, but it felt like a lifetime to Shikamaru. His father had began teaching him kagemane and other jutsus that were known only to the Nara clan years ago. Unfortunately, they took usually took years to master. Shikamaru learned them quickly but could not put them into practice for very long and usually not completely. Just like today.

However, what he did create worked well enough he hoped as he ran over to the "enemy ninja" who he realized was in fact a boy his own age, perhaps a year or two older.

As he reached the boy, he saw something white float softly to the ground near the boy. He picked up the bandages thinking, 'What the hell?' and having no idea as to why they would suddenly appear even though he may very well need them if the person was injured.

He knelt next to the boy and noticed, thankfully, that he was still breathing and only unconscious having hit his head on the ground. He checked him over carefully noting that the boy didn't have any broken bones and few if any scrapes from hitting the ground.

Now assured that the person he almost accidentally killed would live, he really looked at them to see who he was and why he would be out in the middle of nowhere.

He realized the boy went to the academy just like himself what with the bandages wrapped around his right arm and right leg. The kunai pouch was a dead giveaway, too.

"Can't be a genin," said Shikamaru to himself, "No hitai-ate unless he left it at home. Unlikely. Too young, too."

One of Shikamaru's eyebrows quirked as his eyes fell upon a mark in the middle of the boy's forehead.

"Curious," he said and reached his finger out to trace the pattern all the while thinking that it was /not/ weird that he was touching some unconscious person. It was perfectly normal. Alright, he gave up. It _was_ weird but then so was the tattoo or whatever was on the kid's forehead.

As soon as Shikamaru's finger began to trace the pattern, the boy's eyes flew home and Shikamaru jerked his hand back in part because he was just caught touching an unconscious person which was a little creepy and also because he was surprised by the boy's startlingly pale eyes.

The boy pushed himself up on his arms before shuffling back away from Shikamaru.

"What happened?" Neji asked, looking from side to side and up at the tree before he looked back at Shikamaru. "Who are you? And why were you touching me?"

Shikamaru held his hands out defensively. "Geez. Calm down will you."

"Why I should I be calm?!" Neji half shouted. "I just fell out of a tree and almost died!"

Shikamaru bit his lip to stop his snort. This guy was pretty funny when he got all riled up.

"Yeah, but you didn't die, did ya?"

Neji narrowed his eyes. "No…and what exactly happened. I didn't see anyone here, and I normally don't lose my balance that easily either."

"Yeah…" Shikamaru started and rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "There was someone around here. Uh..me. I was taking a nap over ther—"

"You were napping?" Now, Neji's eyebrow quirked.

Shikamaru looked him straight in the face. "Yeah. So?"

Neji opened his mouth to say something but couldn't think anything a comeback. He attributed this change in character to his recent fall.

"Anyway," Shikamaru continued, "The snapping of twigs woke me up. You weren't being very stealthy."

"I wasn't meaning to. I _thought_ I was alone."

"Well, you weren't. I thought _you_ were an enemy ninja and decided to do something about it so I threw a kunai at the branch you were standing on. I guess it surprised you, which was my intention, and made you fall. Not my intention. I thought you would have caught yourself."

"Well I didn't," Neji said bitingly and looked at the ground before back at Shikamaru. "Why is it that I'm _not_ dead? I should have hit the ground and broken my neck, but I don't remember hitting the ground. I remember hitting something…softer."

"Ahh, that," Shikamaru began and again scratched the back of his head. "I tried do a jutsu that my dad had taught but it didn't quite work. I ended up manipulating my shadow to balloon up and cushion you before you hit the ground. If I'd had more control, I think I could have stopped your fall completely, catching you before you even hit the ground."

Neji couldn't quite believe what had happened but he knew the boy wasn't lying.

"Thank you," he said quietly not looking at Shikamaru.

"You're welcome," Shikamaru replied and extended his hand. "I'm Nara Shikamaru by the way."

Neji looked at the offering skeptically for a moment before taking it and stating, "Hyuuga Neji."

"Ahh," Shikamaru began in realization, "I do know you. Kind of. I've heard your name mentioned at the academy. You're supposed to be the best of your year aren't you?"

If Neji could he would have puffed out his chest to show his pride. "That's what they say, and they're right."

"Hmm…then why would you, the best of your year, fall so easily?" Shikamau smirked as Neji's eyes widened. 'Definitely Hyuuga eyes,' he thought.

Neji narrowed his eyes once again. "I fell because you startled me with that kunai."

"Any _good_ ninja would have overcome that," Shikamaru remarked.

"Well then," Neji began and looked away, "maybe I'm not that good."

Puzzled, Shikamaru asked, "Then why were you all the way out here?"

Still looking away from Shikamaru and seemingly to talk to himself, Neji said quietly, "Trying to prove myself."

"Okay," Shikamaru silently mouthed to himself and thinking his companion a little strange. "Well, I think you might want to train a little harder. I did get you by surprise, and I apologize for that. It was a pretty reckless thing for me to do. I'm glad you're okay though."

Neji turned back to Shikamaru when he said his apology, a little shocked at the sincerity. "Thank you."

"Oh," Shikamaru began and reached his hand holding the cloth out to Neji. "Is this yours?"

Neji's eyes widened when he saw his forehead wrappings and his hand immediately went to touch where the cloth no longer covered his seal. He grabbed the cloth from Shikamaru's hand and hastily tied it back around his head.

"I guess so." Shikamaru stated and smiled at the Hyuuga's odd behavior.

Neji looked back to Shikamaru, not sure what to say. "I, uh, I…thank you. Again."

"S'ok. That's a strange tattoo. I've never seen anything like it."

Neji looked at the ground. "It's not a tattoo. It's a seal," he said, not quite believing he was telling this to a stranger he just met.

Now Shikamaru was at a loss for words, thinking, 'Why would someone put a seal on their own forehead? No…he didn't do that to himself…'

"Weird." Shikamaru finally said and left it at that.

Neji looked at him and nodded his head once, "Yeah."

Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders. "I certainly didn't expect the day to turn out like this. It's not so bad, though. You're a pretty interesting guy who I almost ended up killing. Fate has a funny sense of humor."

Neji looked a little taken aback. "Fate?"

"Yeah, sure," Shikamaru began. "Just think of it this way: I probably never would have met you had I not been napping here or had you not come out here to train. Or, you something still could have happened to you if I wasn't here and then we never would have met again. So, under really strange circumstances we, two very different people, met. Like I said, fate is strange sometimes, especially this time but not in a bad way."

Neji was looking at Shikamaru in awe, not quite sure what to think of him. He settled on, "You're very philosophical for a—how old _are_ you?"

"Ten."

"Then you're very philosophical for a ten-year-old," Neji stated and smiling slightly.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said and stifled a yawn, "That's what my dad says. Say, do you wanna grab something to e—"

Neji was about to answer but Shikamaru was cut off as in that moment as he heard a very familiar voice that he really didn't want to hear.

"Nara Shikamaru! You wake up wherever you are, right now!"

Shikamaru visibly flinched and cursed under his breath.

"Damn, that's my mom. Gotta go." He turned and actually started to jog in the direction of his mother's voice, not wanting her to find the exact place where he took his naps.

Neji stared after him, his mouth slightly open as if he meant to say something before Shikamaru left.

As if reading his thoughts, the now active lazy boy turned around and spoke. "Sorry about everything again. I wasn't thinking too clearly. That's a first for me, too. Anyway, I wish we could have gotten something to eat together and talked more, but trust me, you don't want to deal with my mom. I'll see you around, though. 'Kay?"

Neji saw that he was waiting for some acknowledgement to the subtle question and that the question was important. This person, who could have cost him his life but also saved it, wanted to see him again. To talk with him. Maybe even…become friends.

"Yes," Neji said quickly before Shikamaru turned around in disappointment, "I'll see you around."

Shikamaru gave him a nod and headed off quickly to meet up with his mother.

Neji watched his retreating form and quietly, to himself for Shikamaru was well out of distance:

"See you."

* * *

Thanks for reading. Feel free to read and review.


	2. Chapter 2: Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Sorry for the wait! I blame writer's block, but that is no excuse. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the read. Again, this story is influenced by songs that I've listened to that I think correspond with my overall plot. So, kinda like a fan song list in the form of a fic. It makes sense in my head in an odd way. I'm not really sure how I feel about this chapter but I hope you enjoy it either way!

"Speaking" and 'Thinking'

Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto._

Beta'd by me. I apologize for any missed grammatical/spelling mistakes.

Song Influence – "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" – Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

**Chapter Two – **Somewhere Over the Rainbow

"Do you always have your head in the clouds?"

Blinking rapidly as if he had been wakened even though his eyes were most definitely open, Shikamaru turned his head to the right in the direction of what he would come to know very well as "the haughty voice."

He was not surprised to see Hyuuga Neji, the boy he had technically almost gotten killed because the other's lack of awareness just the week before. After Shikamaru had apologized for knocking him out of the tree, said goodbye and was on his way home, he wondered for a moment if he really would see the Hyuuga boy again. He certainly wasn't going to be the one to seek the other out. No, he was far too lazy for that. But that didn't stop his thoughts from turning to Neji if only because he was so very…strange.

Shikamaru decided on the way back to his house that if he did happen to see Neji again, he wouldn't question himself or the situation like he did with every other circumstance in his life. He would just accept it and go from there.

And if he didn't see Neji again, then he didn't see him again. That was that, and he would continue with his days of cloud gazing and avoiding all attempts at logical thought.

He was happy at this moment that he didn't have to question his actions but could just accept the fact that Neji was here. He even accepted the snarky comment the Hyuuga gave him and planned to return the favor in due time.

"Pretty much," he replied turning his gaze back to the sky. "My mom thinks that since I'm outside so much I should do something productive, but she never does anything to change my habits."

Neji's brow furrowed. "Is she not responsible for your well-being? Why would she not try to assure that you hone your skills and abilities to succeed later on in life?"

Shikamaru didn't turn to look at Neji as he spoke. "Probably because she's happier that I am outside in the sunlight acting like a normal kid than she would be if I was pasty and pale by remaining cooped up inside studying strategies and the history of jutsus."

He waited until he heard stammering before he allowed a small smile to grace his face.

'Head in the clouds and damn proud of it,' he thought to himself.

"I am _not_ pasty. Or pale."

Shikamaru's smile only got wider as he could actually the faint grinding of Neji's teeth because of his suggestion.

"I didn't say you were," he replied nonchalantly, still not taking his eyes away from an interesting looking cumulus cloud.

"But you implied it," Neji stated as he still ground his teeth.

Shikamaru let out a breath and pushed himself off the ground into a sitting position before standing up and stretching his arms above his head.

"Maybe. But that doesn't mean you should take what I say seriously."

Neji stopped grinding his teeth and just looked at Shikamaru as if he could not comprehend the meaning of the younger's words.

It was then that Shikamaru noticed that while Neji wasn't glaring at him, rather just looking at him strangely, there was tension in his clenched fists.

"Neji," he began, "You need to relax."

Now, Neji really _did_ glare at Shikamaru.

"Seriously. You shouldn't get all worked up over some meaningless words that a near stranger says to you. I don't even know you other than that I somewhat accidentally knocked you unconscious, and yet you're looking at me like you want to stick a kunai to my throat for some slight I said. So, relax and stop acting like an adult."

Shikamaru could see the tension leave Neji's hands and arms, though he saw some linger in his shoulders and while the Hyuuga no longer glared at him, he did give him a look that Shikamaru could only describe as "constipated."

A thought then occurred to Shikamaru.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

The look of "constipation" vanished from Neji's only to be replaced by a "deer in the headlights" look, a look that Shikamaru had definitely seen a lot of.

The surprise on Neji's face vanished almost as quickly as it came, only to be replaced by his normal "haughty" look. Shikamaru decided to begin keeping count for how many times he would see that look today. So far: two.

"You would not believe it if I said it was coincidence that I happened upon you on this hill." It wasn't a question.

"Very good Hyuuga. You read my mind." Shikamaru smirked, surprisingly anxious to hear the real answer.

Neji looked away from Shikamaru almost as if he were embarrassed by what he was about to say.

"I came looking for you."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that out already," Shikamaru said as if bored and suppressing a yawn just to see if he could antagonize the Hyuuga further.

It worked. Neji shot a glaring look back. The young Nara remained unaffected, waiting for the rest of the answer.

While still glaring, Neji continued. "I came looking for you because I was curious about you."

Now, it was Shikamaru who quirked an eyebrow surprised by Neji's words.

"You surprised me, Shikamaru, that day in the forest. And I am not that easily surprised. No Hyuuga is, but that's beside the point. Even though you attacked me and later apologized for it, you still treated me with kindness. But more so…" Neji paused and looked away from Shikamaru's face as if searching for the right words.

After a moment he looked up again and said, "You treated me like a normal person. You did not care that I am a Hyuuga and you brushed off my…rather rude behavior. Even the fact that I was a complete stranger did not deter you from being comfortable talking to me. Almost friendly even."

Shikamaru tried not to let Neji see his own surprise at the words. He may have somewhat expected Neji to seek him out, but he did not expect that this was why.

Neji looked away again, but he did not look embarrassed. "The reason I came looking for you today was because no one, other than my parents, has ever treated me that way before. And I wanted to know why you did."

Having finished, he looked back to Shikamaru and awaited an answer.

While putting his own thoughts in order and reassessing what Neji had just said, Shikamaru took a second to really _look_ at Neji since he first saw him that day. What he noticed now was similar to the boy he encountered before. Neji stood poised with his shoulders back, standing straight and tall which seemed to give him confidence in himself. Yet, Shikamaru could tell nothing by looking in eyes. The pale pupils gave no emotions or thoughts away. But looking at his brow, Shikamaru could see the slightly furrow that indicated that Neji was not angry but rather slightly anxious about the answer Shikamaru was about to give.

'Huh.' Shikamaru thought to himself. 'Always full of surprises this one. And different from the rest, too. I wonder why….'

"Well…I just treated like…I treat any of my friends. You're right, I didn't know you and I don't know you very well now, but that doesn't mean I'd treat you like an outsider or whatever. That's just stupid and time consuming."

Shikamaru sighed and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"You looked like you needed a little cheering up, especially after that fall…but more so, you looked a little lonely and like you needed a friend. So I treated you like I would have treated any of my friends if I had almost accidentally gotten them killed." He smirked and then smiled when he saw the corners of Neji's mouth barely turn upward.

"So yeah, that's pretty much it." He shrugged his shoulders. "And I also thought you needed to relax a little since you seemed a little stressed. Actually, you still need to relax and settle down once in a while."

Neji's almost smile turned into a mini-glare. "I relax just fine, thank you."

Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders again. "Whatever you say…."

He was about to turn around when Neji no longer felt the ground beneath him as his legs were kicked out from under and he landed with a "thud" on the not so soft ground.

Neji blinked rapidly and saw Shikamaru standing over him, a look of boredom on his face.

"There. Now you can relax."

Neji was about to push himself up and show the Nara just how relaxed he could be while shoving someone else's face into the ground when he felt Shikamaru's foot on his chest.

"You need to settle down and relax like I told you. And please don't try to get up again. It's too troublesome to keep making you stay down."

Neji glared up at Shikamaru but stayed where he was. "I fail to see how this is 'relaxing.'"

Shikamaru let out an exhausted sigh. "It's not. Yet." He lifted his foot from Neji's chest and suddenly plopped down on his back beside the older boy while folding his arms behind his head.

"Now this is relaxing," Shikamaru said and turned his head to the sky.

Neji looked at Shikamaru and then looked to where Shikamaru was looking, failing to see the logic.

Shikamaru turned to look at Neji. "Neji, if you want to start acting like a normal person, and in your case a normal kid since you've apparently tried to act way about your age your entire life, you need to just lay back and enjoy the clouds. Kick your sandals off, put your arms behind your head, and let your eyes and mind drift along with the clouds. That's what kids do. Or at least, that's what I do because I'm too lazy to do anything else."

Neji still looked skeptical and was beginning to think he made a mistake in his attempt to converse with Shikamaru. Maybe the idea of friendship was something that he was not capable of. He was alone up until this point and survived and he could continue to do so….maybe.

He felt a touch on his upper arm and saw Shikamaru trying to get his attention.

"Trust me, okay?"

Neji contemplated the risk and decided he was arguing with himself too much to actually make sense so he would take Shikamaru's word.

He nodded and did as Shikamaru suggested, kicking off his sandals but settling for resting his arms by his sides.

"Better," Shikamaru said.

Neji had to admit to himself that when he put his sandal-less feet to the ground, he rather enjoyed the feeling of the cool grass between his toes. He was _not_ however going to voice that out loud.

"I guess this isn't too bad," he said.

"Told you so."

"Now what do you do?" Neji asked after a minute.

"Nothing really. Just look at the clouds in the sky. Sometimes I try to find images in them. Other times I just pretend that I am one, adrift in the sky, not knowing where I'm going but not caring because I'm completely at peace."

Now it was Shikamaru's turn to pause for a moment. He wondered to himself why he had given that explanation to Neji, why he revealed so many of his own thoughts and feelings into that one sentence. He didn't have an answer but he was strangely okay with that.

"Ahh," Neji said as he had no other words that could respond to such a simple yet profound statement. For whatever reason, lying in the grass next to Shikamaru and looking up at the clouds gave him a strange sense of serenity. And he had no desire to question why.

The two young boys lay in the grass in silence for a while before either said anything since neither felt the need to.

It was Shikamaru who spoke first.

"That cloud looks like a cat taking a nap."

Neji looked to where he was pointing. "It does."

"What do you see?"

"Hmm…" Neji turned away from the cat-shaped cloud and scanned the sky.

"There," he pointed and stated matter-of-factly, "A person attempting to perform a substitution jutsu."

Shikamaru's eyes went wide and he just looked at Neji.

"What?" Neji asked when he noticed Shikamaru staring.

"Nothing," he said and shook his head smiling to himself.

"Do you see anything else Shikamaru?" Neji asked.

Shikamaru let his eyes wander across the clouds.

"I see the Hokage's bald head complete with all the liver spots."

Now it was Neji's turn to look at his companion with wide eyes.

"Look for yourself. The spots are even in the right positions."

Neji still did not turn his head to the sky but asked, "How do _you_ know what Sandaime-sama's head looks like without his formal headpiece?"

"Ahh," Shikamaru began, "Now that's a long story."

"Well, I am not planning on going anywhere, and it appears that we have plenty of time so why don't you begin telling it." Neji said and smiled at Shikamaru as if he thought he knew the younger boy was bluffing.

"Alright. I guess, too, that since you've decided to stay, that you don't mind lying here with your head in the clouds, too?" Shikamaru turned his head slightly to regard Neji's answer.

After a pause, Neji said, "No. I do mind this as I thought I might. It is surprisingly peaceful…and relaxing. You were right."

"Always am," Shikamaru said with a smug look on his face. "Now, about the Third's bald head. It happened on my first day at the Academy…"

The two boys stayed in their positions throughout the afternoon, Shikamaru telling stories so absurd that Neji only believed of them and Neji telling a few stories of his own that Shikamaru knew only scratched the surface of what really happened in Neji's life.

After a while, they fell into silence and just stared at the clouds above them. Each boy was thinking his own thoughts about what lay just beyond the wisps of white in the azure sky.

Today would not be the last day in which one could find the two of them in the same field and lying in the same positions, staring at the passing clouds overhead, but it would forever remain the first day where each had found something they had not had before, a companion that completely at ease and content to be in the other's presence.

* * *

Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter one! I will TRY to get chapter three out much more quickly than I got chapter two.


End file.
